Customer Reviews

Ceremonies of the Eucharist: A guide to Celebration

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The Ceremonies of the Eucharist is an excellent guide for those persons responsible for Eucharistic worship. It is particularly helpful for clergy and lay people seeking ways to improve and deepen the quality of their liturgy (worship services) through the introduction of well thought out and theologically sound ceremonies. Galley's book is intended largely for an Episcopal readership as he seeks to create the liturgical environment intended by the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. What makes this book especially useful is that he not only explains how things might be done but also discusses how differnces in size of congregation will effect choices. Overall he achieves a good balance between formality and hospitality in worship. The book is Anglican in its spirituality and breadth. Non-episcoplains would find this book interesting as an additional resource in deciding what shape and style their worship might take.

This book walks Priest, Deacon, Acolyte and lay ministers through the liturgy in a parallel guide, so you can see what each person needs to be doing and what others are doing at the same time. The book also discusses why things are done the way they are and when there are different approaches which is preferable. Highly recommended.

The most appealing aspect of this book is that it allows everyone access to what is normally the province of the clergy. That is a good thing because it is often forgotten in churches, even the Episcopal Church, that liturgy is the work of the people, not something to be imposed from on high by the rector.

In typical Anglican fashion, Galley attempts to walk the via media. He gives readers broad latitude in shaping their own liturgy while explaining what many Episcopalians can not answer: why do we do that? While some of the practices he endorses and not for everyone, this book is an excellent resource for anyone with an interest in the liturgy of the Episcopal Church.

Galley has a fairly comprehensive understanding of the liturgies of the Eucharist in the Episcopal Church, and writes a generally helpful guide for those who don't. It is of most use when taken together with other similar guides, like Michno's, and even Ritual Notes. Taken alone, the problem is that there is an expectation that everyone everywhere subscribes to the theology of the liturgical movement and the novus ordo. There is little acknowledgement of the fact that many parishes and missions within the Episcopal Church have a rich local tradition which is fed by liturgies which predate the liturgical movement, or disagree with the more casual and less formal style favored by the majority of the church. Many find that such an approach dilutes the sense of mystery and beauty that is integral to the celebration and service of the Divine Liturgy. The pervasive idea seems to be that the 'Golden Age' of liturgy was some time in the late fourth century, and that we should adapt our liturgies to fit into that norm and into the modern research which describes it, perhaps at the expense of being responsive to how the Spirit is teaching and calling us to worship. If the 'Golden Age' isn't in the here and now, formed and informed by the practice and theology of the whole Church throughout time and throughout the world, a syndrome of isolationism and revisionism, lethal to religion, creeps in.

Galley writes this ceremonial with broad applicability. It is useful to the layman/laywomen who assists as server, acolyte, thurifer, or lector (reader). His discussion is not so erudite as to be unintelligible to someone without seminary education. However he is so thorough and clear that a priest would be ill-advised to pass this book over. His synopsis (chapter 6) provides a complete walk through the entire eucharist from before the processional to the dismissal, and everything in between. It is presented in four columns, showing the concurrent liturgical actions of the celebrant, deacon, acolyte and other ministers. The ceremonial is written around the Book of Common Prayer (BCP) 1979, and assumes a parish that is not entirely low-church. Galley's real value is that this work is easily extended to other rites and forms, due in great part to his concise directions. Anyone of the Anglican persuasion should be interested in this, as it explains the action of the liturgy. Anyone from another denomination will find this a useful resource for comparison.

Now that I have this book, I find myself wondering why I didn't have it before. Galley's writing is so approachable and yet thoughtful that he makes serving at the Eucharistic table a clear joy. He simplifies, explains and instructs in a away that is so carefully done that he takes away all uncertainty. Anyone who assists at the table, or even presides, should have this book. As more and more lay members step forward to help with the Eucharist, this book gives everything needed to answer questions and assure a moving, even service. I highly recommend it for all Episcopalians.

If you are looking for the proper way to do anything in church this is the place to look. It has solved many a dilemma for me. It is great to have an authority to whom one can turn instead of just relying on the good old Espiscopal, "We've always done it this way." It doesn't mean you can't follow your own parochial traditions, but at least you'll know you're playing by house rules when you do! I am a bit of a nit-picker, so I found this book to be ever so helpful.

Galley writes this book to all members of the worship community, especially to those who have leadership and service positions. It is for priests, deacons, singers, the altar guild, etc. The primary purpose of the book is to provide practical guidance for Episcopal churches in their Eucharist ceremonies. Additionally, Galley takes advantage of opportune times to introduce some of the heritage behind the liturgy of the 1979 BCP.

The book is simple and easy to read, as such an instructional guide ought to be. He addresses the small items to the most significant items associated with Eucharist. These include the setting up of the space, the roles of participants, music, and each part of the liturgy in detail.

This book is useful to give any reader a better understanding of how we worship in the Episcopal/Anglican tradition. It also gives the step-by-step instructions, so it serves as a handy resource to have. Galley takes advantage of being the instructor to push forward his own interpretations and preferences for the liturgy. He may exclude other options and disparage some traditions followed by parishes. Therefore, I think it would be good to have a secondary source such as Hatchett's Commentary on the American Prayerbook or Michno's A Priest's Handbook to offer a wider view of the liturgy. Both of these resources are also excellent.

This is a book that will be a constant companion for me in the priesthood.